Nebraska's Michael Rose-Ivey threatened after national anthem protest

Nebraska linebacker Michael Rose-Ivey says that he and his teammates have been threatened on social media in response to their decision to protest during the national anthem of the Cornhuskers' road game against Northwestern on Saturday.

"Some believe DaiShon [Neal], Mohamed [Barry] and myself should be kicked off the team or suspended, while some said we deserved to be lynched or shot like the other black people who have died recently," Rose-Ivey said on Monday, according to ESPN. "Another believed that since we didn't want to stand for the anthem that we should be hung before the anthem at the next game."

Rose-Ivey posted a statement on Twitter explaining his decision to join in the protest.

“These issues are bigger than football,” Rose-Ivey wrote. “These issues are bigger than me. These issues are bigger than all of us because it impacts all of us, whether you believe it or not. We must have accountability, we must have understanding, we must have love, but we must also have genuine dialogue that finds genuine solutions and demands genuine actions.”

Rose-Ivey said that he has been called the N-word on Twitter and been told that he deserved to be lynched because of his statement. In his statement, he assured that he is not anti-military, not anti-police and not anti-America.

Rose-Ivey discussed the death threats in a statement on Monday.

Nebraska's Michael Rose-Ivey with a powerful statement in today's press conference. Says fans told him he should "be hung before the anthem" pic.twitter.com/NJjEMnUYhd

Rose-Ivey and other members of the football team told head coach Mike Riley that they planned to protest and he supported their decision.

The demonstration stems from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's decision not to stand for the national anthem in protest of racial inequalities and injustices taking place in America, including police-related violence. Several players at the NCAA and NFL level have joined in the movement.

More College Football

We've Got Apps Too

Get expert analysis, unrivaled access, and the award-winning storytelling only SI can provide - from Peter King, Tom Verducci, Lee Jenkins, Seth Davis, and more - delivered straight to you, along with up-to-the-minute news and live scores.